1208 
JOURNEY ACROSS THE 
[1813. 
pushed heedlessly forward till their mouths reached it, 
when the rapid motions of every tail indicated satis- 
faction and enjoyment. As we had eaten nothing since 
the preceding day, in consequence of our haste to 
reach the river, we had no sooner satisfied our thirst 
than we felt our hunger, and hastened to remove that 
also. The cattle had thousands of acres of high grass 
at hand, to which they instantly ran, on quenching 
their thirst. 
Being uncertain how far we were from our settle- 
ment at Klaar Water, after sun-set we made a fire of 
six or eight rotten trees where we halted, and another 
of a similar size on a neighbouring hill, as a signal to 
announce our arrival. The river being as broad as 
the Thames at London bridge, being also deep and 
rapid, the crossing with waggons appeared somewhat 
formidable. 
It is rather singular that we should have crossed the 
Bushman's country without meeting one human being, 
except one family on the day we entered it. That 
even the part where we crossed has some inhabitants 
I have no doubt, from the remains of huts which we 
discovered in two or three places ; but their number 
must be very small. It fills the mind with regret to 
see so large and beautiful a portion of God's earth so 
destitute of population, and to think of its producing 
year after year provender sufficient to support millions 
of cattle, whilst only a few wild beasts roam over it 
